


Neurasthenia

by unwindmyself



Series: curious shapes shift in the dark [40]
Category: True Blood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Exposition, F/F, F/M, Female Friendship, Fix-It, Found Family, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Road Trips, Sisters, Team Dynamics, Vampire Family, agency and choices!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-03
Updated: 2014-05-03
Packaged: 2018-01-21 18:12:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1559486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwindmyself/pseuds/unwindmyself
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The various dysfunctional miniature road trips to vamp camp have their varied outcomes based on the combinations of who's in which vehicle.  That's to be expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neurasthenia

**Author's Note:**

> Part three, "The Switch and the Spur."

“Everyone’s got their phones?” Nora asks for the thousandth time. “Everyone’s watches are synchronized?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Braelyn giggles, tapping the face of her own watch as if that makes any difference.

“Then let’s get on with it,” Willa says cheerfully.

 

* * *

 

“I’m so bloody glad you don’t expect me to drive this thing,” Nora mutters as she, Eric, Willa, and the Bellefleur girls crowd around the van that Eric so cavalierly borrowed. “It’s even bulkier than the last.”

“D’you not drive?” Adilyn asks.

“I can,” Nora says, “but I only do as a last resort.” She’s much more comfortable in the front seat offering color commentary, occasionally directions, and whatever else needs doing.

“Gotcha,” Charlaine says. “Aunt Sookie’s gonna teach us how to drive when all this is done.”

“It could be a while until that’s the case,” Eric points out, catching the girl’s eyes in the rearview mirror. This being done, that is. “But it’s an admirable idea.”

“I call shotgun,” Braelyn shouts.

“My sister gets shotgun,” Eric says very archly. “And my daughter gets whatever the term for the seat behind the driver’s is so she can direct us as needed.”

“Fine,” Braelyn says. “Then I call the one next to that.”

Which means that her sisters are going to be crammed in the backseat. Really, that’s all she wanted to avoid, not having any room to get comfortable.

They all pile into the van, then, Adilyn and Charlaine and Danika nudging each other and grousing while Braelyn just looks smug as can be about her slightly roomier seat. Another plus: it’s a slightly roomier seat next to the other slightly roomier seat occupied by Willa, who by virtue of being someone she doesn’t share a house with is way more interesting right now.

Or she will be once they get onto the highway and the older two vampires stop grilling her about directions. One thing at a time, though.

 

* * *

 

“You doin’ better tonight?” Sookie asks in a whisper. Jason’s in the front seat, but he looks concentrated enough on following the other vehicles in their little caravan that he’s not going to eavesdrop much.

“Better’s kinda relative,” Jessica murmurs wryly.  “I mean, Bill’s not psychically tearin’ my heart outta my chest, but it’s not like everything’s all daisies and rainbows or whatever.”

“Well, yeah,” Sookie concedes.  “I was kinda wondering if Bill had tried to get you again tonight, kinda wondering…”  She glances at her brother in the driver’s seat.  “Is everything else okay?”

“Well, he hasn’t,” Jessica agrees.  “And… I dunno.  I’m workin’ on it.”  She leans against one hand and fakes a sigh.  “D’you ever miss when one of your big social outings of the week didn’t involve some kinda supernatural violence?”

It’s the kind of thing that Sookie would laugh at under different circumstances, but Jessica looks sincere enough that she knows she should hold off.  “I do,” she says.  “But I think what I’ve been comin’ around to is that everyone’s got their shit, y’know?”

“Not everyone’s shit involves homicidal maniacs,” Jessica points out.

“No,” Sookie shrugs.  “But for as much of a pain in the ass as our lives can be, I don’t think I’d know what to do with a normal one anymore.”  It’s different for her, since she _could_ give it all up if she really wanted, but – though it’s taken a lot of figuring – she’s figured out that she doesn’t really want.  Not with knowing the world is like it is.

 

* * *

 

“So you and your friends really don’t have some ulterior motive,” Tara calls over her shoulder as she checks that it’s safe to switch lanes.

“Like what?” Nicole asks.

“Like you’re just bein’ nice to all us non-humans so we trust you and you can fuck us over,” Pam says bluntly, though she doesn’t even bother to turn and look, she’s too busy reapplying her lipstick in the mirror.

“Why would we do that?”

“’Cause there really aren’t too many people – or vampires, or shifters, or whatever the fuck – that don’t at least halfway wanna fuck someone over?” Tara offers right back, in that sugary sarcastic way she has.

Nicole looks downright puzzled by the premise, so Sam jumps in to add, “It’s nothin’ personal. It’s just that we’re all kinda used to having to be on our guard.”

“That’s exactly why Nessa and I started this whole thing,” Nicole says very earnestly. “Nobody should have to worry about being persecuted for who – or what – they are.”

“Aw, that’s kinda cute,” Pam says, soft enough that only Tara can hear. “She’s tryin’ so hard.”

“Don’t bitch about it,” Tara returns. “She might actually be useful. She’s kinda like one of those straight girls that goes to the GSA or whatever they’re callin’ it before some conservative-ass teacher shuts it down, but…”

“What are you guys talking about?” Sam asks, and he sounds just as sugary (Tara knows he’s fucking around a little, maybe to lighten the mood).

“It’s not important,” Pam says, finally turning to flash a brilliant and freshly-lipsticked smile.

 

* * *

 

“D’you think you’re gonna kill your dad?” Charlaine asks Willa. “Your human one.”

“Charlaine!” Adilyn exclaims, thwacking her sister in the arm. “That’s such a rude question.”

“Well, we’re going there to stop him and all his little minions, we trained in combat, we’re prepared to use deadly force,” Charlaine points out. “It seems like an _obvious_ question.”

“I don’t know,” Willa says. “Maybe I will. Maybe someone else will and I sure won’t stop them.”

“But he _is_ your dad,” Danika frets. “Was. That’s not gonna be weird?”

“A little,” Willa shrugs. “Maybe a lot. But it’s more weird ‘cause I miss who he used to be.”

In the front seat, Nora makes a little sound of agreement or encouragement or understanding or who the hell knows. “Whatever happens, it’s best to be ready for it,” she declares.

 

* * *

 

Sam and Nicole have fallen into some other conversation in the backseat – possibly a reiteration of the fruitless chat Nicole and Luna had a few nights ago, except it keeps sounding like they’re also discussing a mutual affinity for classic rock, so there’s no saying – and as such Pam feels it all right to let her voice go low again and murmur, “Hey, Tara?”

“What?” Tara returns at that same volume.

“Well, it seems like…” She’s dithering, which is a very un-Pam-like thing to do, but she’s definitely doing it. “Since tonight could get all dangerous and all, I was gonna let you know that…”

Nicole’s phone naturally chooses this second to start ringing, and she picks it up quick and _very_ loud. “Hey, Isi,” she says. “You still following close enough behind?”

“What?” Tara asks. “What were you gonna say?”

Pam shrugs. Now that Sam and possibly Nicole are listening too, all she can bring herself to do is say it in Swedish. Not that Tara knows Swedish, but – still. “ _J_ _ag älskar_ _dig_ ,” she says softly.


End file.
